Thermopile infrared sensor by monolithic silicon micromachining

US8592765B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Heimann Sensor GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Bodo Forg · Mainz, DE
• Frank Herrmann · Barmstedt, DE
• Wilhelm Leneke · Taunusstein, DE
• Joerg Schieferdecker · Wiesbaden, DE
• Marion Simon · Schlangenbad, DE
• Karlheinz Storck · Lorch, DE
• Mischa Schulze · Simbach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 13, 2011
• Grant date: Nov 26, 2013
• Expiry date: Nov 21, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01L2924/1461
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A thermal infrared sensor is provided in a housing with optics and a chip with thermoelements on a membrane. The membrane spans a frame-shaped support body that is a good heat conductor, and the support body has vertical or approximately vertical walls. The thermopile sensor structure consists of a few long thermoelements per sensor cell. The thermoelements being arranged on connecting webs that connect together hot contacts on an absorber layer to cold contacts of the thermoelements. The membrane is suspended by one or more connecting webs and has, on both sides of the long thermoelements, narrow slits that separate the connecting webs from both the central region and also the support body. At least the central region is covered by the absorber layer.